Driving mechanism for speed or distance indicators.



W. F. KENDALL. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPEED OR DISTANCE INDICATORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1909. 1,042,687.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1909.

' Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

3 S HEETSSHEET 2.

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W. E. KENDALL. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPEED 0R DISTANCE INDICATORS.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I I I I I 1111111113 11111114 I,

Patented 001129, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. KENDALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO RECOMETRE COMPANY OFAMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPEED OR DISTANCE INDICATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

Application filed November 30, 1909. Serial No. 530,561.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, \VILLIAM F. KENDALL, acitizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, inthe city, county, and State of New York have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Speed or DistanceIndicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to driving mechanism by which motion may be takenfrom a vehicle wheel or like part, and is primarily designed for thedriving of vehicle speed indicators, distance registers or taximeters.

Various difiiculties have been experienced in driving devices of thisnature owing to the inconvenient location of the driving gear, which isusually secured to the hub of one of the wheels, and also to the factthat with self-propelled vehicles it is necessary to take the motionfrom one of the front or non-driving wheels, which is also a steeringwheel and must, accordingly, be free to change its angle.

My invention also contemplates the provision of means for sealing theconnection between a recording instrument and the driving gear, wherebyunauthorized disconnection of the recording instrument is madeimpossible. A record may thus be made which cannot be tampered with, andfrom which the owner of the vehicle or other person interested mayascertain to just What extent the vehicle has been used.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Ihave chosen certain modifications for illustration, but I do not wish tobe limited thereto, as it is obvious that my invention may be embodiedin various other forms.

In these drawings Figure l is a perspective view showing one form of mydriving mechanism in the position it will occupy upon a vehicle, the endof the vehicle axle and the steering knuckle being shown, but the wheelitself being omitted to disclose more fully the driving gear. Fig. 2 isa horizontal sectional view through the driving pinion, pinion casingand bevel gear case or elbow; Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing aportion of the gear case and main driving gear, and the supportingdevice for preventing rotation of the gear case; Fig. 4'is a detailsectional view showing the means for sealing the joint in the gear case;Fig. 5

is a section on line VV of Fig. (3; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional viewof the driving gear, pinion and gear case showing the wheel hub andsteering knuckle; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modifiedform of connection between the driving pinion and the driving shaft;Fig. 8 is a sectional view through one side of the main driving gear andgear case, showing a modification of my device; Fig. 9 is a sideelevation of a modified form of my invention, one side of the gear casebeing removed, and Fig. 10 is a plan view, partly in section, of themodification shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 is the hub of a vehicle wheelfrom which it is desired to transmit motion. This may be any vehiclewheel, but I have shown itas the steering wheel of an automobile,mounted upon a journal 2, projecting from the steering knuckle 3, whichis pivoted in the forked end 4 of the front axle 5 of the vehicle. Thesteering knuckle has projecting from it the steering arm 6, to which isconnected an end of the steering rod 7.

Secured'to the hub 1, or to the spokes of the Wheel, is the main drivinggear 10. Screws 11 passing through spacing sleeves 12 may advantageouslybe used for this purpose. Surrounding the main driving gear 1s a gearcase 13,- which supports a bearing 14, carrying the shaft 15, of thedriving pinion 16. The gear case 13 is preferably enlarged, as at 17, toform the casing for this pinion, this enlargement being of sufficientsize to inclose the largest pinion which it may be desired to use withthe driving gear. For supporting the gear case 13 and the driving pinion16 carried thereby, I provide upon opposite sides of the driving gearannular rings 20, the outer faces of which, 21, form bearing surfacesfor the bearing faces 22 on the gear case. By this means the gear caseand driving shaft will always be maintained in the same relation withthe driving gear, dirt will be excluded from the driving gearing and thecasemay be filled with a suitable lubricant to insure quiet running.

The gear case 13 is preferably formed 0 two portions provided withflanges 30, held together by bolts or rivets 31. It is also preferablysplit transversely at diametrically opposite points as indicated at 32and 33, the two sections being held together at one side by hinge links3 1 riveted to the case preventing the unauthorized removal of this pin,and, consequently, of the gear case, some means may be used, such as awire 38 passed through a hole 39, in the end of pin 37, the ends of thewire being secured together by seal 40. The driving gear 10 turns insldeof the casing 13, with very little friction, but in order to positivelyprevent movement of the latter, I connect the same to some nonrotatablepart of the vehicle. As shown, I mount upon the steering arm 6 astandard 50, which is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by theclip 51. From the upper end of the standard projects an arm 52, bearinga forked or perforated projection 53, which engages with one of thebolts or rivets 31. The gear case is rovided on one side with aninwardly proecting flange or lip 54 adapted to overlie the side of themain gear and cover the heads of screws 11. The removal of the screwsand detachment of the main driving gear from the wheel hub is thusprevented.

Power from the pinion 16 is transmitted through itsshaft 15 and fromsuitable bevel gears 60 and 61 to a flexible shaft 62 in the casing,which drives the mechanism of the indicator or recording device 63. Ihave not illustrated the mechanism of the latter in detail, as it formsno part of the present invention, my driving mechanism being applicableto the operation of any of the types of mechanism now in use. In thedrawings, I have illustrated by way of example a time and distancerecorder of the form shown in United States Patent No. 850,109 toClement C. (llawson.v

For supporting the bevel gear 61 in mesh with the gear 60, the former ismounted upon the end of the shaft 64, which forms an extension of theflexible shaft in casing 62. The shaft 64 turns in a box 65, which ismounted in the gear case or elbow 66, supported by the box 1 1. The box14 is grooved, as at 70, a set screw 71 being provided in the elbow forengagement with this groove, to prevent the removal of the elbow. Theset screw may be screwed tightly against the box 14, thus preventingturning of the elbow, or may be only artially screwed in the groove,thus permitting the elbow to swivel about the box. In order to preventthe removal of the elbow and consequent breaking of the drivingconnection to the indicator or recorder, the boss 72 through which theset crew 71 passes is perforated upon opposite sides, as at 73 toreceive a wire 74:, the ends of which are connected by a seal 75. Toprevent the removal of the box 65, it is provided with a groove 80, intowhich fits a set screw 81 passing through a boss 82, perforated at 88, awire 84 and seal 85 being provided to prevent the removal of the setscrew.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified con nection for a flexible shaft, inwhich a separable coupling is used to permit the detachment of the shaftwithout disengaging the gears 60 and 61. In this construction the gear61is mounted upon a shaft 6 1 journaled in a box and provided at its outerend with a coupling member 90 adapted to be engaged by the couplingmember 91 secured to the extension 92 of the flexible shaft. Thisextension 92 is journaled in a box 93, provided with a sleeve 94 adaptedto engage the box 65* and be secured thereto by a set screw 95 engaginga groove 96 in said box. A wire 97 and seal 98 may be provided forpreventing the removal of the set screw. As will be apparent in thisform of my device, the flexible shaft may be freed from the drivingmechanism by breaking the seal wire 97, withdrawing the set screw 95 andremoving the box 93, when the coupling parts 90 and 91 will separate.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified form of gear casing in which a rollerbearing for the driving gear is provided, the casing 13 having journaledtherein a plurality of rollers 100 having flanges 101, between whichpass the teeth on gear 10, the edges of the flanges traveling upon theannular shoulders projecting from the gear. The case 13 is provided withflanges 102 projecting inwardly into engagement with the sides of thegear 10, to exclude dust from the gear case and retain a' lubricanttherein.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown another modification of my invention inwhich the gear case 13 is provided with a plurality of enlargements 17 ain one of which is mounted a driving pinion 16 while the others containidle pinions 110', which serve to support the gear case in positionabout the gear. In these figures I have also shown a modified form ofconnection for the flexible shaft. In this modification the box 65carrying the shaft extension 6 1- on the end of which is mounted thegear 61, is removed from the elbow 66, a connector being inserted in itsplace. This connector comprises a box 120, adapted to fit in the elbow66 at one end and having secured to its other end an elbow 121. In thisbox turns a shaft 122, to one end of which is secured a bevel gear 123,adapted to mesh with bevel gear 60, and to the other end of which issecured a bevel gear 124, adapted to mesh with the bevel gear 61 whenthe box 65 is inserted in the elbow 121. Suitable means for securing theboxes 120 and 65 to the elbow 121 are provided, such as the set screws125 and 126 engaging grooves in the boxes in the manner alreadydescribed, seals 12? and 128 being provided for preventing the removalof these set screws. By means of the connection above described greatflexibility is obtained, and the flexible shaft may be led away from thedriving mechanism at any angle. As will be obvious, the separableconnection shown in Fig. 7 may be applied to the form of connectionshown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The operation of my invention will be apparent from the foregoingdescription. The mounting of the driving pinion in a gear case, which issupported directly by the driving'gear, absolutely insures a trueengagement between the pinion and gear at all times, thus preventingaccidents and greatly prolonging the life of the parts. Greater accuracyis also obtained. My connections insure the constant operation of therecording or indicating mechanism and prevent tampering with the same,or the throwing of the same out of operation, thereby preventing thesurreptitious use of the vehicle without the making of a record.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In mechanism for transmitting motion from a vehicle wheel, a gearadapted to be secured to a wheel, an annular shoulder projectinglaterally from said gear, an annular casing surrounding said gear andforming a running bearing with said shoulder about the entire peripherythereof, and a pinion supportedby said casing in mesh with said ear. g2. In mechanism for transmitting motion from a vehicle wheel, a gearadapted to be secured to a wheel, a casing inclosing said gear, saidcasing comprising two segments divided along a diameter, means forfastening said segments together, and means for preventing theunauthorized separation of said segments.

3. 1n mechanism for transmitting motion from a vehicle wheel, agear adated to be secured to a wheel, a pinion meshing with said gear, a shaftsecured to said pinion, a box in which said shaft rotates, said shafthaving a gear on its free end, an elbow having one end swiveled on saidbox, a box having one end mounted in the other end of said elbow, ashaft journaled in said secend-named box, a gear on said shaft engagingwith the gear on the free end of the first-named shaft, a gear on theother end of said second-named shaft, an elbow mounted on the free endof said second-named box, a third box mounted in said elbow, a shaftjournaled in said box, and a gear on the end of said shaft, engagingwith the secondnamed gear on said second-named shaft.

4. In mechanism for transmitting motion from a vehicle wheel, a gearadapted to be secured to said wheel, and a two-part annular casing splitalong a diameter inclosing said gear, said casing being formed toprevent the detachment of said gear from said wheel without separatingthe parts thereof.

5. In mechanism for transmitting motion from a vehicle wheel, a gearadapted to be secured to a wheel, and a casing inclosing said gear, saidcasing comprising two separable parts, and means for securing said partstogether, said means including a link secured to one of said parts, apin for connecting said link to the other of said parts, and a seal forpreventing the removal of said pin.

WVILLIAM F. KENDALL. \Vitnesses:

EDMUND G. Moses, OLIVER WILLIAMS.

